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11.26.2014

Choosing Thankfulness

Have you ever felt upset with the life you're living? You wish you had more to be happy about? You feel like you go each day with worries and you often have no motivation to get up each day. You're tired of the same schedule. Tired of the same people. Tired of the stress. Sometimes you're tired of living in general.

This time of year is often a joyful time of year that brings cheer to many people, but maybe you aren't feeling it this year. Maybe you can't find the joy within you to be happy and feel thankful for what you have. But being thankful is not based on what this life offers us. It's not based on a feeling or how much we have. Thankfulness is something we choose to possess. I find it really hard to be thankful with the life God has given me. I tend to look at the negatives and see all the hurt and pain instead. How many times I forget to look at all God has given me.

15 years ago today my father passed away and ever since then it has been a struggle to be joyful for the one special person that seemed to be taken from me. While everyone else seems to be living normal lives I was trying to overcome the loss in my life that seemed to never heal. For some, time heals things, but for me it was like an open wound that just got worse over time. It is hard to find good in something that hurts so bad. It is hard letting go of his death because I feel like I am letting go of him.

This Thanksgiving maybe you are dealing with loss. Maybe you are grieving. Maybe you feel lost. Maybe you feel lonely. Stressed. Worried. Unloved. Whatever you may be going through know that the struggles and pain you're facing is growing you. You may think it's hurting you- but it's really testing your character and showing you what you are made of. Take the time this week to look at your life and see beyond the negatives that you often see so clearly. It's easy to look at the negatives, but often the positives are hidden deep beneath and we just need to do a little searching.

Often I like to look to the past and see how God has provided and the ways He has worked things in my life. It may have been hard and foggy at the time, but looking back now I can see just how much it was worth it and how He worked. It's hard to choose to be thankful when it doesn't seem to come naturally, but when we look for things to be thankful for it may just help give you hope and comfort in the midst of the dark trial you are in. Being thankful doesn't always mean you have to be happy, but it means showing appreciation for what you do have and not wanting more.

So even if all you feel is sadness and anxiety this Thanksgiving, try to find a few things that you are thankful for. How has God shown His love to you? How has He provided? What people in your life are you blessed by? It may seem like there aren't as many positives as the negatives, but even the smallest things can mean so much. Even just focusing on some good things in your life can change your outlook. Being positive and thankful allows us to feel better and not get so caught up in the things that always go wrong. And know that even the things you think are negatives in your life can be used for good even though you may not see it now.

5 comments:

I so needed to read this <3 Holiday season has always been tough for me ever since my dad passed away almost 4 years ago. It's good to be reminded that I need to be thankful all the time, even if I don't feel like it

Thank you. I needed this. I had lost hope on so many things because of my struggles. It's good to be reminded; as Elizabeth mentioned, to be thankful. For the things I do have and so forth. I am glad I came across your blog. If you would like I hope my blog is able to help you as yours helped me. Or reminded me. Thank you again.

Hello Britt. So good to know you through your profile on the blogger. I am also glad to stop by your blog " Encouragements for Every day Struggles". and the post on it " Choosing Thankfulness". Very encouraging post and reminding us of being thankful to the Lord in all situations. I am so blessed to know you Britt. I am a stranger from Mumbai, India but amazingly the Lord took me throough your profile and the blog post. I want to get connected with the international family of God's people. I am in the Pastoral ministry for last 35 yrs in the great city of Mumbai a city with great contrast where richest of rich and the poorest of poor live. We reach out to the poorest poor with the love of Christ to bring healing to the broken hearted. We also encourage young people like you as well as adults from the West to come to MUMBAI on a short / long term missions trip to work with us in the slums of Mumbai during their vacation time. Since you like helping people and serving the Lord with your life, it would be a great opportunity for you to come with yuor older sister to work with us on a short or longer period of time. We would love to have you come with your sister to work with us during your vacation time. I am sure you will have a life changing experience. My email id is: dhwankhede(at)gmail(dot)com and my name is Diwakar Wankhede. Looking foward to hear from you. God's richest blessings on you and your sister and family.